The world's largest tunneling machine has only drilled 24 feet in a month to create a new route for Highway 99 under downtown Seattle. While some might be outraged with the fact that the project is already two weeks behind schedule, KIRO Radio's John Curley thinks no one should be surprised.

"These projects are huge," said Curley. "Here is what we know [...] it's going to be behind schedule, and there's going to be cost overruns, and we're going to find that some things fail, and nobody should be shocked by this sort of thing."

Before drilling began, state officials estimated Bertha would progress at 6 feet per day to start, and eventually accelerate to 35 feet per day in good soil under downtown.

Curley said while she's a little behind, Bertha's task is the biggest tunneling project ever undertaken, and people should put the task into perspective.

"It's amazing to me how impatient people are as this thing is burrowing under the ground, and it is the biggest in the world and people are like, 'Oh that thing sucks,'" said Curley. "The hole it is digging is 57 feet in diameter."

A note producer Bryan Buckalew left Curley about the project is a perfect example of how people are being unfairly critical.

"Bertha tunneling beneath Seattle as we speak, but not going very fast," Buckalew wrote, "has traveled 24 feet since the drilling began a month ago (that's about two weeks behind schedule). Only 9,249 feet to go!"

"I was just pointing out we have a ways to go," Buckalew said, defending his notation.

But Curley said we should back off.

"If we're constantly snarking on them, what happens is then they start to hold back information for fear what the press will do with it," said Curley. "I'm pro-technology on this. I am excited to see what they learn and give them credit for being pioneers on it."

About the Author

Jamie Skorheim
Whether it's floating on Green Lake, eating shrimp tacos at Agua Verde, or taking weekend drives out to the Cascades, she loves to enjoy the Pacific Northwest lifestyle as much as humanly possible.